We have recently announced the inaugural Portal Irish Music Week in Portal, Arizona. (USA).
Since this is the first time we're doing this, we thought it might be good to have some discussions about the format, and hear if people have any suggestions for things they'd like to see, or things that they think we should do differently.
We've planned some interesting things for this festival:
First off, the class schedule will be slightly different than any festival I've been to. We are currently planning just two "class periods" per day, so you can concentrate on your main instrument, and maybe a second instrument, if you like. But we will also have two "workshop periods" scheduled each day, as well, which will allow the attendees to pick and choose different things to do each day, without having to dedicate 5 days of classes to those subjects. That way, you can get to know some of the other instructors, and learn some other things. (Workshops will include things like tune learning, putting the "nyah" into your playing, banjo setup, learning to use ABC, etc.). If people are like me, they'll likely use at least some of that time for practicing, or sleeping
Secondly, Portal is a pretty unique destination. It is one of the top bird watching places in the U.S., and has incredible scenery, hiking, and star gazing. So we're organizing a number of non-music activities, for both the students, and their guests, with the hope that it will encourage folks to bring spouses, etc.
And lastly, we will have at least one "slow session" each day, as well as ensure that there are instructors at each of the sessions during the evenings.
Arre there things that you'd like to see at a small festival like this that haven't been discussed? Are there pipers out there that would be interested if we were including an uilleann pipe instructor next year? Should we put up a facebook page, as well as the website? Any insight into things that we're not thinking of?
Good stuff, fair play to you it looks pretty good.
Seems to me that it's not so much a festival though. More of a teaching seminar. Would that be correct? Are you inviting any trad groups over for concerts etc? Any way in which an Irish trad group could cover their travel costs?
"If you can't dance 'em, you can't play 'em" and "If you haven't played for dancers you haven't played trad.". Have a céilí on the first night and teach the students easy set dances e.g. Shoe the Donkey. Seige of Ennis, Walls of Limerick etc with the instructors as a pick-up band. It'll be good for the spouses/partners as well. Do the same the last night, but encourage the students to sit in the band for a few sets.
Have a set list for the festival, say twenty tunes sent out in advance (notation or mp3s) and encourage students to learn them. It means a) more people able to join in even the first slow session, and b) it gives the instructors an opportunity to teach techniques not just tunes.
Have listening workshops. Choose a few classic recordings of the "big" tunes on different instruments and take the students through a "compare and contrast" to illustrate how different musicians, and different instruments, can generate very different interpretations.
Tune families can form another useful workshop it can help illustrate the "building blocks" that go to make up tunes.
Give each student a 10 minute one to one slots with a tutor on their instrument so that they can get personalized coaching. One piece of advice can sometimes lead to a step change in performance.
A slow air workshop. Even if you don't have a tame sean nos singer get a video recording and use it as the basis to teach the air.
Or how about a lilting workshop. Personally I don't believe you can internalize a tune, and therefore play it well, until you can lilt it (even under your breath). It'd great for beginners because it puts the focus on the tune not the instrument and helps tremendously with phrasing. Yet so many newcomers shy away from lilting through a combination of embarrassment and over-thinking it.
Have a really informal, voluntary end of week contest where duos and trios picked out of a hat mid-week have to put a two or three tune set together from tunes they've learnt that week. Get the instructors involved as well.
And if someone can actually teach "putting the "nyah" into your playing" I'd live to see the video!
Ooh. What hurler said. And especially the dance part.
Pete, this sounds like a really fun week, and is in birder heaven. It's a long trip, but I love that part of the southwest. I'm suggesting to the Dear Husband that this would be a great fall vacation.
How about a "Variations" workshop. Have a student choose a tune which the instructor then plays through say a dozen times, each time introducing a different variation. It's an important lesson that this is entirely off-the cuff. Play back the recording and then talk the student's through it, what worked, what didn't and why.
A tin whistle workshop for the spouses/partners - I've yet to meet anyone who can't be taught a simple polka in 2 x 30 min sessions.
Hurler, those are some great ideas. Thanks for sharing, and the inspiration.
Our daily schedule includes "workshops" (yet to be decided what will be taught) precisely because we want to do some of the things you call out here. Should be an opportunity for the instructors as well as the students to go deeper into the music.
Don't forget to give attention to the needs of the stomach... The old boot about armies marching on their stomachs, well, if you want happy campers, musicians and dancers, do good things with the food, and throw in some surprises. It always amazed me how generous companies could be, small and large, from great discounts to absolutely free, Hagen Daz ice creams and sorbets, Ben & Jerry's, and a chocolate company that mad amazing fist sized truffles. We also managed to purchase local fish and whole turkeys. We had plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, all sourced locally, and endless coffee and tea, the real thing, provided by local companies again. Little things raise smiles and help to build a community of appreciation quickly, but it does mean putting in the time to find and sweet talk those sources. Also, from local wineries and micro breweries ~ cases and kegs, though some didn't like the necessary controls, where a few could easily spoil the treat. We also made sure we had a balance, something for those that didn't drink alcohol or eat meat...
We had work scholarships, and made sure there was a balance there, that they were able to also beneift from the offered workshops and other activities. While we had the rare waster, many more folks helped without being asked..
A week, better if a long one with two weekends, is a wonderful amount of time to create a community and have folks longing for the next one. But we also felt there was a need for things not to fossilize, so we weren't exactly 'first-come-first-serve', wanting to serve a wider community rather than create a clique. So, a bit like the set up for the coming Olympics here, we had a percentage of openings kept open for first timers. We also had a size limit, with staff, everyone, of no more than approximately 100. That allowed for a positive intimacy that a larger size works against.
Make sure you've a head cook who knows their stuff as far as cooking for the masses, so that your times will be met, on time.
Possibly like you, while we had a couple of periods where there were more than one thing to choose from, we also had periods, for the community, or a nap, or practice, that were for just one group activity.
We lucked out, as in the end it is all about the community that comes together for the craic, and they made it special. To help reduce our losses some, we all were also grunts ~ in the kitchen, etc.
An odd part of our set-up was doubling on a particular focus, while also making sure there was some connection made with the local traditions. As an example, one time we had two French bands, also offering workshops in dance, and a third focus filled with regional musicians and dance teachers/callers, another time it was the equivalent of two Irish bands, etc... The hired staff also enjoyed that, bringing folk together...
Now back to trying to resuscitate my wife's laptop...
The evening dance music was sit-in, directed by the hired hands, but with an open welcome for anyone else to join in with them, though not necessarily miked... That was one of our intentions as well, to provide 'experiences', including playing for dancers, and alongside the staff, to also build build confidence...
Go for quality over quantity when it comes to tune learning. Get instructors to talk to the "story of the tune": who they learnt it from, where else they've heard it, what are the seminal recordings, how have they made it their own, why they're teaching this tune as opposed to any other. If they're any good they should be able to play it in the style of other musicians to highlight what can be done with it e.g. anyone teaching flute should be able to illustrate how Matt would phrase it one way and Conal, or James Carty another.
Have you thought about a trad disco? They're pretty popular over here.
Facebook - next year's MySpace . . . dead but doesn't know it. Have a Twitter feed with links to tunes to learn (see above) on your webpage. Put a blog on the web page with entries that include performances by the tutors.
Would it be possible to use a simple video cam set up (I'm thinking a Flip and a tripod) to record each lesson in each instrument stream? Then with the minimum of editing (title, chapters, cut out the faffing around) burn them to disc? That way students could buy a DVD of their own stream and any others they were interested in. I'd bet there'd be a number of attendees who play fiddle and flute, or banjo and guitar, or even know a "numpty" guitar player (see other thread) back home who'd benefit.
How about a a couple of tunes and interview by Skype? If it's essentially residential, then time zones shouldn't be a problem. Even if you had Carty say (or James Kelly - he's up on Skype) sat in front of a webcam on his laptop it'd be very cool. especially for those who've heard the albums but haven't met them. The first truly international, hi-tech trad festival! Pitched the right way, even if it fails it'd be fun and a departure from the norm. Give the guys at OAIM a call. They might be up for it, it'd be good publicity for their courses.
How about making some of the classes really short? I've seen Conal teach a tune in less than 8 minutes or was it 6? It's gas! A tune between the main course and desert, or before breakfast. Or a TED type 20 min presentation on . . . I don't know . . . em . . . Andy McGann and the New York sound. Sure Brian could do that. Or "Survival Irish" (Hello, Good bye, Please, Thank You, Again - you can go a long way with just that!).
Less is definitely more, but you know that. Learning one tune well will benefit all your playing, while cramming a dozen in on the fly benefits nothing. It's also lovely when classes/workshops progress, one to the next and onward, with some kind of focus, but that's about who you choose to do the teaching in part - but it's your sweat and money, so you have the right to give it direction, to let the hired staff know and understand your dreams, what your hopes are...
Back to food, we were pleased on our last visit to North America to find a rise in craft cheesemaking, some amazing treats including a smoked blue cheese. That would be something I'd consider checking out. As well as local produce and producers we also tapped into restaurant suppliers, with friends guiding us there. One year when doing Scandinavian music and dance we managed to source relevant foods too, including blocks of cheese from those Norhtern realms, but, alas, no pickled fish, sigh! And local bakeries, we also source some of the lovliest of pastries from a Swedish bakery.
We've known some folks that managed great events, from those with super stars to managing a lovely community event with just local talent. I'll see if we can knock on digital doors and get anyone to contribute here...
Personally, we favoured those events where the design and structure worked against the formation and nurturing of cliques. Where the staff kept to themselves and each other, where there was a kind of them & us, whatever side we found ourselves on ~ those weren't places we cared to return to...
Thanks, Hurler. Those are really some great suggestions. (And c, too!)
I actually took a week long class at a festival, once, that was dedicated to variations. It was a really interesting study. It was all theory, not practical. But it gave me a foundation for how to think about things, and I found it really useful.
I also like the idea of a "big tunes" listening workshop. And helping the students start to understand just how different tunes can be, while still being the same tune.
And yes, tradshark, "festival" isn't exactly the right word. Maybe "teaching festival". It will really be all about immersion for a week, but the goal is to not overwhelm the students by the third day, as seems to happen so often at these things. But you also want to make it seem worth the while.
Rev - at the jazz workshop I used to work at, there was a schedule something like what you're describing, but the students were also divided into combos. Each combo would meet every day with an instructor who would turn them into a performing unit, and they'd all play a few numbers at the big concert at the end of the week.
You might offer something like that as least as an option for those interested in learning something about working with other musicians in a more directed context.
But with all of these ideas floating around, the main thing I'd suggest to you is: be sure to ask your instructors what they want to teach. And if there are any bird-watchers, let them lead an outing, it'll break things up a little.
To avoid burnout, schedule one must-do event in the morning and one must-do in the afternoon, and let the rest be optional, one-off items. Anyone can get to a 10:00 and a 2:00, and then they can take as much of what you offer in the rest of the day as they feel up to.
I go to a camp every summer and the format is something like this:
breakfast 8
class 9-11:30 at this time and at the one after lunch you can choose from beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate or advanced
lunch 12
class 1-2:30
individual lesson time or free time or dance class or specialty workshop during this time
dinner 6
large group 7-9:30 working on dance music, common tunes, ear tunes, etc
9:30 until 1,2, 3...jam and Scotch drinking
repeat for the next 7 days
Involving campers is a great way to personalize a camp, to nurture that 'belonging to a community' feel. There are always opportunities to ask the group if there's anyone willing to do a little work for the event. And, don't hesitate to have some means to allow them discussion and comment, a further involvement of mind and heart, and further source for ideas for the future, or things that might need a little more polish or a change in direction. The important thing is to be able to recognize all, the loud and vocal and the quiet - and to balance the responses with care. The excessively vocal rarely speak for the quiet majority. Feedback is precious, valuable...
I've been watching Dragons Den today;
so my thoughts are;
what's your projected audience ?
How many performers/teachers are you booking ?
Who's backing you ?
How much space have you got for this event ?
What feedback have you had so far on the likely audience ?
Who's the caterers ?
etc., etc., etc.......
This is not to say "I don't wish you well", just thinking of the pitfalls possible.
Because I do wish you well.
Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
We have recently announced the inaugural Portal Irish Music Week in Portal, Arizona. (USA).
Since this is the first time we're doing this, we thought it might be good to have some discussions about the format, and hear if people have any suggestions for things they'd like to see, or things that they think we should do differently.
We've planned some interesting things for this festival:
First off, the class schedule will be slightly different than any festival I've been to. We are currently planning just two "class periods" per day, so you can concentrate on your main instrument, and maybe a second instrument, if you like. But we will also have two "workshop periods" scheduled each day, as well, which will allow the attendees to pick and choose different things to do each day, without having to dedicate 5 days of classes to those subjects. That way, you can get to know some of the other instructors, and learn some other things. (Workshops will include things like tune learning, putting the "nyah" into your playing, banjo setup, learning to use ABC, etc.). If people are like me, they'll likely use at least some of that time for practicing, or sleeping
Secondly, Portal is a pretty unique destination. It is one of the top bird watching places in the U.S., and has incredible scenery, hiking, and star gazing. So we're organizing a number of non-music activities, for both the students, and their guests, with the hope that it will encourage folks to bring spouses, etc.
And lastly, we will have at least one "slow session" each day, as well as ensure that there are instructors at each of the sessions during the evenings.
The announcement of the festival is here: http://www.thesession.org/events/display/2367
Arre there things that you'd like to see at a small festival like this that haven't been discussed? Are there pipers out there that would be interested if we were including an uilleann pipe instructor next year? Should we put up a facebook page, as well as the website? Any insight into things that we're not thinking of?
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by Reverend
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Is there even enough humidity there to keep the pipes going in?
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Lots of free/ cheap beer?!
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
I managed to keep mine going alright when I lived in Colorado. Depends on your reed.
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Can you pay me to be an instructor? Something like "How to Deal with Cynicism" would do. Then I could go AWOL and spend the week birdwatching.
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ...
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Is that the feathered kind, llig?
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by strayaway
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Good stuff, fair play to you it looks pretty good.
Seems to me that it's not so much a festival though. More of a teaching seminar. Would that be correct? Are you inviting any trad groups over for concerts etc? Any way in which an Irish trad group could cover their travel costs?
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by tradshark
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
I wish we could be there for it.
Having done similar I'll return later, but at the moment certain chores are suddenly crying out to be tended to.
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Between planes, so dashed off the top of my head:
"If you can't dance 'em, you can't play 'em" and "If you haven't played for dancers you haven't played trad.". Have a céilí on the first night and teach the students easy set dances e.g. Shoe the Donkey. Seige of Ennis, Walls of Limerick etc with the instructors as a pick-up band. It'll be good for the spouses/partners as well. Do the same the last night, but encourage the students to sit in the band for a few sets.
Have a set list for the festival, say twenty tunes sent out in advance (notation or mp3s) and encourage students to learn them. It means a) more people able to join in even the first slow session, and b) it gives the instructors an opportunity to teach techniques not just tunes.
Have listening workshops. Choose a few classic recordings of the "big" tunes on different instruments and take the students through a "compare and contrast" to illustrate how different musicians, and different instruments, can generate very different interpretations.
Tune families can form another useful workshop it can help illustrate the "building blocks" that go to make up tunes.
Give each student a 10 minute one to one slots with a tutor on their instrument so that they can get personalized coaching. One piece of advice can sometimes lead to a step change in performance.
A slow air workshop. Even if you don't have a tame sean nos singer get a video recording and use it as the basis to teach the air.
Or how about a lilting workshop. Personally I don't believe you can internalize a tune, and therefore play it well, until you can lilt it (even under your breath). It'd great for beginners because it puts the focus on the tune not the instrument and helps tremendously with phrasing. Yet so many newcomers shy away from lilting through a combination of embarrassment and over-thinking it.
Have a really informal, voluntary end of week contest where duos and trios picked out of a hat mid-week have to put a two or three tune set together from tunes they've learnt that week. Get the instructors involved as well.
And if someone can actually teach "putting the "nyah" into your playing" I'd live to see the video!
Good luck lads
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by The Hurler on the Ditch
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Ooh. What hurler said. And especially the dance part.
Pete, this sounds like a really fun week, and is in birder heaven. It's a long trip, but I love that part of the southwest. I'm suggesting to the Dear Husband that this would be a great fall vacation.
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by Michele Sims
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Got something against concertinas?
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by Concpush
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Yes, do a facebook page and have a dance caller for evening dances.
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by Leendah
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Delayed!
How about a "Variations" workshop. Have a student choose a tune which the instructor then plays through say a dozen times, each time introducing a different variation. It's an important lesson that this is entirely off-the cuff. Play back the recording and then talk the student's through it, what worked, what didn't and why.
A tin whistle workshop for the spouses/partners - I've yet to meet anyone who can't be taught a simple polka in 2 x 30 min sessions.
A dance caller! A dance caller. Dear God!
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by The Hurler on the Ditch
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Hurler, those are some great ideas. Thanks for sharing, and the inspiration.
Our daily schedule includes "workshops" (yet to be decided what will be taught) precisely because we want to do some of the things you call out here. Should be an opportunity for the instructors as well as the students to go deeper into the music.
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by Will Harmon
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
I enjoyed Hurler's contribution.
Don't forget to give attention to the needs of the stomach... The old boot about armies marching on their stomachs, well, if you want happy campers, musicians and dancers, do good things with the food, and throw in some surprises. It always amazed me how generous companies could be, small and large, from great discounts to absolutely free, Hagen Daz ice creams and sorbets, Ben & Jerry's, and a chocolate company that mad amazing fist sized truffles. We also managed to purchase local fish and whole turkeys. We had plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, all sourced locally, and endless coffee and tea, the real thing, provided by local companies again. Little things raise smiles and help to build a community of appreciation quickly, but it does mean putting in the time to find and sweet talk those sources. Also, from local wineries and micro breweries ~ cases and kegs, though some didn't like the necessary controls, where a few could easily spoil the treat. We also made sure we had a balance, something for those that didn't drink alcohol or eat meat...
We had work scholarships, and made sure there was a balance there, that they were able to also beneift from the offered workshops and other activities. While we had the rare waster, many more folks helped without being asked..
A week, better if a long one with two weekends, is a wonderful amount of time to create a community and have folks longing for the next one. But we also felt there was a need for things not to fossilize, so we weren't exactly 'first-come-first-serve', wanting to serve a wider community rather than create a clique. So, a bit like the set up for the coming Olympics here, we had a percentage of openings kept open for first timers. We also had a size limit, with staff, everyone, of no more than approximately 100. That allowed for a positive intimacy that a larger size works against.
Make sure you've a head cook who knows their stuff as far as cooking for the masses, so that your times will be met, on time.
Possibly like you, while we had a couple of periods where there were more than one thing to choose from, we also had periods, for the community, or a nap, or practice, that were for just one group activity.
Daily constants ~ slow session, evening dance, bonfire, the midnight surprise snack, etc...
We lucked out, as in the end it is all about the community that comes together for the craic, and they made it special. To help reduce our losses some, we all were also grunts ~ in the kitchen, etc.
An odd part of our set-up was doubling on a particular focus, while also making sure there was some connection made with the local traditions. As an example, one time we had two French bands, also offering workshops in dance, and a third focus filled with regional musicians and dance teachers/callers, another time it was the equivalent of two Irish bands, etc... The hired staff also enjoyed that, bringing folk together...
Now back to trying to resuscitate my wife's laptop...
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
The evening dance music was sit-in, directed by the hired hands, but with an open welcome for anyone else to join in with them, though not necessarily miked... That was one of our intentions as well, to provide 'experiences', including playing for dancers, and alongside the staff, to also build build confidence...
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Missoula, Montana's Bear Hug Mountain Festival
Here's some folks near at hand who run a lovely little festival, and may have some experience fed observations and guidance to share ~
http://www.missoulafolk.org/bearhug/Current_Bear_Hug.htm
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Too much coffee!
Go for quality over quantity when it comes to tune learning. Get instructors to talk to the "story of the tune": who they learnt it from, where else they've heard it, what are the seminal recordings, how have they made it their own, why they're teaching this tune as opposed to any other. If they're any good they should be able to play it in the style of other musicians to highlight what can be done with it e.g. anyone teaching flute should be able to illustrate how Matt would phrase it one way and Conal, or James Carty another.
Have you thought about a trad disco? They're pretty popular over here.
Facebook - next year's MySpace . . . dead but doesn't know it. Have a Twitter feed with links to tunes to learn (see above) on your webpage. Put a blog on the web page with entries that include performances by the tutors.
Would it be possible to use a simple video cam set up (I'm thinking a Flip and a tripod) to record each lesson in each instrument stream? Then with the minimum of editing (title, chapters, cut out the faffing around) burn them to disc? That way students could buy a DVD of their own stream and any others they were interested in. I'd bet there'd be a number of attendees who play fiddle and flute, or banjo and guitar, or even know a "numpty" guitar player (see other thread) back home who'd benefit.
How about a a couple of tunes and interview by Skype? If it's essentially residential, then time zones shouldn't be a problem. Even if you had Carty say (or James Kelly - he's up on Skype) sat in front of a webcam on his laptop it'd be very cool. especially for those who've heard the albums but haven't met them. The first truly international, hi-tech trad festival! Pitched the right way, even if it fails it'd be fun and a departure from the norm. Give the guys at OAIM a call. They might be up for it, it'd be good publicity for their courses.
How about making some of the classes really short? I've seen Conal teach a tune in less than 8 minutes or was it 6? It's gas! A tune between the main course and desert, or before breakfast. Or a TED type 20 min presentation on . . . I don't know . . . em . . . Andy McGann and the New York sound. Sure Brian could do that. Or "Survival Irish" (Hello, Good bye, Please, Thank You, Again - you can go a long way with just that!).
Or some sort of trad mash-up! Spinning now.
Must drink water!
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by The Hurler on the Ditch
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Less is definitely more, but you know that. Learning one tune well will benefit all your playing, while cramming a dozen in on the fly benefits nothing. It's also lovely when classes/workshops progress, one to the next and onward, with some kind of focus, but that's about who you choose to do the teaching in part - but it's your sweat and money, so you have the right to give it direction, to let the hired staff know and understand your dreams, what your hopes are...
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Feeding the 10,000
Back to food, we were pleased on our last visit to North America to find a rise in craft cheesemaking, some amazing treats including a smoked blue cheese. That would be something I'd consider checking out. As well as local produce and producers we also tapped into restaurant suppliers, with friends guiding us there. One year when doing Scandinavian music and dance we managed to source relevant foods too, including blocks of cheese from those Norhtern realms, but, alas, no pickled fish, sigh!
And local bakeries, we also source some of the lovliest of pastries from a Swedish bakery.
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
We've known some folks that managed great events, from those with super stars to managing a lovely community event with just local talent. I'll see if we can knock on digital doors and get anyone to contribute here...
Personally, we favoured those events where the design and structure worked against the formation and nurturing of cliques. Where the staff kept to themselves and each other, where there was a kind of them & us, whatever side we found ourselves on ~ those weren't places we cared to return to...
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Funny that Hurler, I'm on my second double espresso...
# Posted on March 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Thanks, Hurler. Those are really some great suggestions. (And c, too!)
I actually took a week long class at a festival, once, that was dedicated to variations. It was a really interesting study. It was all theory, not practical. But it gave me a foundation for how to think about things, and I found it really useful.
I also like the idea of a "big tunes" listening workshop. And helping the students start to understand just how different tunes can be, while still being the same tune.
And yes, tradshark, "festival" isn't exactly the right word. Maybe "teaching festival". It will really be all about immersion for a week, but the goal is to not overwhelm the students by the third day, as seems to happen so often at these things. But you also want to make it seem worth the while.
# Posted on March 24th 2011 by Reverend
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Rev - at the jazz workshop I used to work at, there was a schedule something like what you're describing, but the students were also divided into combos. Each combo would meet every day with an instructor who would turn them into a performing unit, and they'd all play a few numbers at the big concert at the end of the week.
You might offer something like that as least as an option for those interested in learning something about working with other musicians in a more directed context.
But with all of these ideas floating around, the main thing I'd suggest to you is: be sure to ask your instructors what they want to teach. And if there are any bird-watchers, let them lead an outing, it'll break things up a little.
To avoid burnout, schedule one must-do event in the morning and one must-do in the afternoon, and let the rest be optional, one-off items. Anyone can get to a 10:00 and a 2:00, and then they can take as much of what you offer in the rest of the day as they feel up to.
# Posted on March 24th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
I go to a camp every summer and the format is something like this:
breakfast 8
class 9-11:30 at this time and at the one after lunch you can choose from beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate or advanced
lunch 12
class 1-2:30
individual lesson time or free time or dance class or specialty workshop during this time
dinner 6
large group 7-9:30 working on dance music, common tunes, ear tunes, etc
9:30 until 1,2, 3...jam and Scotch drinking
repeat for the next 7 days
# Posted on March 24th 2011 by Sunnybear
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
Involving campers is a great way to personalize a camp, to nurture that 'belonging to a community' feel. There are always opportunities to ask the group if there's anyone willing to do a little work for the event. And, don't hesitate to have some means to allow them discussion and comment, a further involvement of mind and heart, and further source for ideas for the future, or things that might need a little more polish or a change in direction. The important thing is to be able to recognize all, the loud and vocal and the quiet - and to balance the responses with care. The excessively vocal rarely speak for the quiet majority. Feedback is precious, valuable...
I have faith it will be a great event...
# Posted on March 24th 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Thoughts about a music festival/camp format?
I've been watching Dragons Den today;
so my thoughts are;
what's your projected audience ?
How many performers/teachers are you booking ?
Who's backing you ?
How much space have you got for this event ?
What feedback have you had so far on the likely audience ?
Who's the caterers ?
etc., etc., etc.......
This is not to say "I don't wish you well", just thinking of the pitfalls possible.
Because I do wish you well.
# Posted on March 26th 2011 by Guernsey Pete